I am a citizen candidate for the Arizona State Senate living in Chino Valley, where my wife and I have raised three sons and built a life in our community. I’m a retired educator of 30+ years. I worked in the Chino Valley School District as a decorated high school teacher, winning basketball coach, and results oriented administrator. I currently serve on the Chino Valley School District and Polara Health Boards of Directors. I’ve also volunteered with the Yavapai County Democratic Party in a leadership role.
I ran for Arizona State Senate in 2022, and I’m running again because I believe that I have both the perspective and temperament to bring common sense and collaborative solutions to the legislative process. Rural Arizonans outside of Maricopa and Pima counties deserve representation that reflects our values, not the ideals of extremists.
School funding, individual rights and an economy that works for all concern me most. After 30 years of working in the public school system I have seen a few successes and too many failures. Fiscal responsibility, student success, staff support, and family involvement are top priorities for the entire state. I’m an ordinary guy who’s had extraordinary experiences. My background is modest. I completed college with the help of financial aid. While raising our family, my wife and I both worked and we budgeted paycheck to paycheck, often supplementing with side jobs to cover normal expenses and sock away some savings. We managed to buy a house and raise our family in Chino Valley and ultimately send our three sons to college with financial aid, scholarships, part-time jobs, and grit.
A central theme of my youth was “live the Golden Rule.” My parents guided me towards community service, whether on the picket lines for fair working policies or a work party helping the less fortunate. My wife and I encouraged our sons to follow suit, involving them often in volunteer activities.
During my high school years, I was intrigued by how government worked. I was fascinated by how history informs our present to improve the future, even if we choose to ignore it. When I moved to secondary school teaching after years of coaching basketball, I was drawn to teach U.S. history, government, and economics to develop citizens. I taught history to fill the gaps that ordinary people have when they’re trying to understand rights, government function, and economic opportunities. The more we understand how it works, the better we all work together for the best possible outcome. Knowledge is power was the first lesson in my classroom.
I embrace the Declaration of Independence and the U.S. Constitution as guiding documents in the pursuit of liberal ideals, like separation of church and state and free speech, that are worth conserving. I believe there’s a balance between governance OF the people and governance FOR the people – protecting the rights of all while not trampling the rights of any.
I appreciate your support and look forward to serving you in the Arizona State Senate.